Perseverance pays off for Patriots' Lawrence Guy

Friday

Drafted in the seventh round in 2011, it wasn’t until signing with the Patriots in 2017 that Lawrence Guy proved he could start in the NFL.

FOXBORO — Lawrence Guy just wanted to make it to the end of his rookie contract. That meant four years in the NFL.

He almost didn’t.

A seventh-round pick in 2011 by the Green Bay Packers, he spent that first season on the injured reserve. He was cut the next year, but added to the Packers practice squad. That started a journey where Guy would be waived or claimed by four different teams. He was cut by the Packers, claimed by the Indianapolis Colts, cut by the Colts, claimed by the San Diego Chargers, cut by the Chargers and claimed by the Baltimore Ravens.

Is your head spinning yet?

This all took place in Guy’s first four NFL seasons. When he settled down with the Ravens, this defensive lineman proved he could play in the NFL. It wasn’t until signing with the Patriots in 2017, however, that he proved he could start in the NFL.

The past two seasons in Foxboro are a reflection of Guy’s hard work and an example of why the Patriots constantly find under-the-radar players that do more in New England than any other team in the NFL.

"I don't look at, 'Hey, I want to get to seven (years in the NFL), get to nine.' Let me get to four," Guy said. "Once I got to four, [it was] let me get to six. Once I got to six, let me get to eight. And I tell people, once you start getting up there in the numbers, the days you spend are truly — you're like, 'Hey, I'm doing this. I'm beating the odds. Let me continue to work hard (so) I can continue my career.' "

Guy defied the odds long ago.

As child, he battled with dyslexia and dyscalculia (a disorder that makes arithmetical calculations very difficult). He earned a scholarship to Arizona State and it was there, with help of the school’s Disability Resource Center, he learned how to learn again, which helped him on the football field.

Of course, after leaving school early to enter the NFL Draft, life in the league wasn’t easy for Guy, as he bounced around during those first four years. Even in Baltimore, he was never a full-time starter. In 2016, he started 10 games with the Ravens before signing with the Patriots. That’s when everything changed.

Guy started 15-of-16 games in 2017 and last season, in 2018. With the Patriots, he not only set a new career-high in playing time, but tackles (59) and quarterback hits (11) last year.

"It's a blessing. Everything from this year on is a blessing," Guy said. "I'm going into Year 9, so it's a blessing to still be playing. It's a blessing to have that opportunity. And as we know, with the Pats, it doesn't matter who you are or where you got drafted at, it's all about your opportunity to give. Everybody has a chance, and that's the best thing about playing here and playing under Bill (Belichick).

"We've got a chance to perform. We've got a chance to go out there and earn your role. I got that chance, and I'm just rolling with it and continuing to bond with my teammates and continuing to bring in fellow teammates coming up from the draft or undrafted to show them my story so they can understand they've got a chance, also."

Guy falls in a long line of defensive players who found themselves under-utilized at previous NFL stops. Rob Ninkovich almost converted to a long snapper before signing with the Patriots. Mike Vrabel didn't start a game in his first four NFL seasons before coming to Foxboro.

Last season, Guy was the Patriots' best defensive lineman. Those players don’t always fill the stat sheet, but this 29-year-old has proven his doubters wrong.

"You look on the last two years of my improvement in the league, from the years before until now," Guy said. "That pretty much tells this tale that it’s always been there, but this team gave me the opportunity to flourish a little more and utilize me more…. When you get here, you see coach ask so much out of you and your push your body to the limit — mentally and physically. You can see it on the field."

Mark Daniels writes for the Providence Journal of GateHouse Media.

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